


The Before-Presents

by smittenwithsugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 12:35:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13167048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenwithsugden/pseuds/smittenwithsugden
Summary: A tradition that grows in the Sugden/Dingle/Flaherty family shown over 5 different christmasses





	The Before-Presents

**Author's Note:**

> My Secret Santa gift for mrshiftyafsugden. Hope you had a great Christmas/Robronmas!
> 
> Big thanks to Alice, for all the help with this!

**24 th December 2018**

„Can you just do what I tell you for once?” Robert asked. His voice wasn’t loud, but everyone who knew him could hear the edge, the annoyance.

“I am just doing that,” Liv bit back and cleared the kitchen table of her school stuff.

She stumped up the stairs like an elephant and Robert called after her. “And come back down after, we need your help.”

Aaron came down with a box just as Liv had disappeared.

“Okay, this looks like half the stuff is broken,” he said and plopped it on the kitchen table. “But we can use the lights maybe. Do we really need more decorations though?”

“Yes, we do,” Robert said shortly. “It’s all the Dingles tomorrow morning, at our place, having Christmas breakfast. You know it will be over the top and they will expect over the top.”

He turned on the mixer to mix the pancake dough he was preparing for tomorrow.

“And you know you don’t have to impress anybody, right?” Aaron said.

Robert huffed out a laugh.

“That’s funny, you’re funny,” Robert said. “We both know your family hates me.”

“They don’t,” Aaron said. “They’re just… a bit protective.”

“That’s the understatement of the century,” Robert said. “Not that I blame them. But even more so I want to make it perfect.”

“Well, if I know one thing about the Dingles, they don’t give a toss about perfect,” Aaron said. “They want a lot of food and maybe booze.”

“Okay, but still, could you just humor me and put more lights up, please?” Robert asked.

The Mill was already decorated quite heavily, the tree was set up in the corner. Liv had decorated it and so it was very mixed, lots of ornaments, no lametta, she thought those were dumb, and quite a few lights. You could see little christmassy things scattered all around the Mill and it looked quite homey.

Robert had been upstairs, making sure all his presents were wrapped when he remembered he had a snowman family that they could put out on the kitchen counter.

He tapped down the staircase, but stopped before he could make it all the way down. He saw and heard Aaron and Liv in the kitchen.

“Why is he freaking out so much? It’s driving me crazy,” Liv said.

“Because,” Aaron said. “This is important to him and we support him. I want him to feel the most comfortable he can when having to face the Dingle clan, don’t you?”

“Suppose,” Liv grumbled. “I don’t know why he cares so much. They tolerate him, isn’t that enough? He got us.”

Robert didn’t hear the answer to that, instead he slipped back upstairs and put the snowman family away again.

When he came back down, he had two presents in his hands.

“Hey,” he said softly. “I think we done enough for tonight. Would you mind coming over here.”

He sat down and waited for Aaron and Liv to join him.

He handed them both a present.

“What’s this for?” Liv asked.

“I know I’ve been driving you both a bit crazy, and I’m sorry,” Robert said. “So I thought as a thank you for putting up with me, you each get one present a day earlier. Christmas Eve.”

“Dankeschön,” Liv said with a laugh.

“What?” Aaron asked.

“They do it like that in Germany,” Liv said. “Paddy told me. They hand out the presents on Christmas Eve.”

“Well, I didn’t know about that, I just wanted to give you one present ahead of time,” Robert said.

“Hold on,” Aaron said and got up. He came back a few minutes later with two presents that he handed out.

“Oh, fine,” Liv huffed and got up.

They all opened their two gifts; Liv tried to not show how much she liked the new backpack Robert got her and Robert looked confused when he unwrapped two hooks to screw in a wall.

“For the new bookshelf I’ll buy you,” Aaron said. “So you can have some of your books in the bedroom and not in one huge pile next to the bed.”

Liv scarpered off after the little exchange and Robert and Aaron laid on the couch together, facing each other, feet tucked away under.

“That was a nice idea,” Aaron said. “With the presents. Where did it come from?”

“Liv,” Robert said honestly. “I heard you two talking and she said it should be about us and I figured she’s right. This is our first Christmas together. Well, our first in this house and I figured it should be about us, not the crazy Dingle clan.”

Aaron smiled at that and Robert smiled right back.

 

**24 th December 2019**

“Do we really have to go tomorrow?” Robert asked as he got the pie out of the oven.

“It’s just breakfast,” Aaron answered. “And Belle is so excited to host her first Dingle Christmas breakfast together with Jimmie.”

“I know, I know,” Robert said. “It’s just… I’d rather have breakfast here, with you and Liv. Just us.”

“We’ll have the evening just us,” Aaron said.

“You know I’m gonna be drunk by the time we leave,” Robert said. “There is no other way to survive a Dingle get together.”

“You just love the snowballs, don’t blame it on my family,” Aaron laughed.

“I do, yes, but I also love spending Christmas with _my_ family,” Robert said. “You, me and Liv.”

“Oh, you big softie,” Aaron laughed, but his face grew tender.

“It’s Christmas,” Robert argued. “I’m allowed to be soft.”

“Of course you are,” Aaron said quietly. “Oh, but do you remember last year? Our little gift exchange? That was nice.”

“You two are both just big old softies,” Liv said, coming in the kitchen and trying to pick at the pie.

Robert playfully slapped her hand away. “That’s for tomorrow, leave it. And I don’t remember you complaining about getting two presents early.”

“Let’s do it again,” Aaron said. “It was nice and calm and us.”

Liv sighed and rolled her eyes like she couldn’t believe she was stuck with these two mush balls, but she was the first to go and get two presents from her room.

They met in the living room. Liv shoved her present at Robert and said: “Open mine first.”

It was a book. “Wild”. Robert couldn’t believe she remembered.

“Yeah, I actually listened to you when you kept complaining about that it wasn’t realistic when we watched it,” Liv said. “And I know you like to read and research, so I figured, maybe the book is better.”

“Thank you,” Robert said.

“Well, my gift fits with that then,” Aaron said and Robert unwrapped a small night light.

“For your reading in bed,” Aaron said. “So I can actually sleep, when you read ‘just one more chapter’.”

“These are perfect,” Robert said with a smile.

**24 th December 2020**

“Okay, tell me again, why are we watching this?” Aaron asked.

He was half lying, half sitting on the couch, his back against Robert’s chest, a bowl of cookies on his lap that they both ate from, and they were watching “Love Actually”.

“Because it’s a classic,” Robert said. “And Colin Firth is hot.”

“Knew it,” Aaron laughed. “It’s because you have an insane amount of hot people in this movie.”

“Oh really?” Robert teased. “I just said Colin Firth. Who do _you_ think is hot?”

“Liam Neeson, of course,” Aaron said. “And Alan Rickman.”

“You have horrible taste in men,” Robert said.

“I know,” Aaron laughed.

And it was due to their relationship, to the work they put in ever since they reunited in 2018, that this comment didn’t sting, that they could joke about this, about being horrible, about finding other people attractive.

“So, who would you prefer? Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant or Alan Rickman?”

“Hmmm, what about that Walking Dead guy?” Aaron said. “Can I pick him?”

“Oh, now you’re just being difficult to annoy me,” Robert laughed.

Aaron had just opened his mouth to reply when Liv came in, she looked like she had hurried up to get home.

“Hey you,” Aaron said. “Why the hurry, you’re 18, you don’t have a curfew.”

“I know,” Liv said, looking around the room. “I just thought… well… is everything done for tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Robert said, looking a bit confused. “We finished everything this morning.”

“So, no panic, no chaos, no break downs?” Liv asked and Robert could have sworn she sounded disappointed.

“No,” Robert said. “Not unless you want to have one. What’s going on?”

“Nothing, nothing,” she said. “Can I join you guys without getting sick?”

“Course you can,” Aaron said and Liv plopped down on one of the armchairs.

“So, who do you think is the hottest?” Robert asked.

“Robert!” Aaron chided him.

“Sorry, never mind,” Robert said.

They continued to watch in silence for a few more minutes. When Robert and Aaron laughed at a joke Liv didn’t.

They didn’t pay it too much thought, Liv was like that sometimes, in her own head, not really paying attention to what was happening around her.

“So there’s no stress about tomorrow?” she asked again, out of the blue.

“No,” Aaron said. “It’s the usual Dingle Christmas breakfast, at Cain and Moira’s this time, we swing by Diane and Doug’s for lunch and then head home for tea. Everything is sorted. What’s going on, Liv?”

“Nothing,” she said again. “It’s just, you’re usually way more stressed and panicked and… well… need something to calm you guys down.”

“Ha,” Robert called out. “You want a present early! That is what this is about! You’re greedy.”

He laughed, but Liv’s face fell. “I’m not greedy,” she said and her voice dropped.

“Oh no, Liv, I didn’t mean it… I was just joking,” Robert said quickly. “I thought you said we were soft for doing that last year?”

“Yeah, well, you are, but maybe I don’t mind being soft every once in a while,” Liv said.

Aaron smiled and turned the TV off.

“Let’s do it! Everybody get one gift for each,” he announced and they all got up to get their presents.

**24 th December 2021**

“I don’t see what the problem is,” Robert argued.

“You don’t…. seriously?” Aaron huffed. “You made that decision without me!”

“It was one call, Aaron,” Robert said. “She called, asked if we wanted that 3D scan and I said yes. I didn’t know you would be so against it!”

“I am not against it!” Aaron shot back. “I want to be included!”

“You are seriously mad at me for agreeing to something you would have agreed to as well?” Robert asked.

“Yes!” Aaron scoffed.

“Well, that is just stupid,” Robert said and rolled his eyes. “Why can’t you just be thankful that I handled it?”

“Handled it? HANDLED it?” Aaron’s voice got louder now. “This is OUR baby, Robert. OURS! Not yours. Not hers! OURS! I am not your nanny or the uncle or whatever!”

“Of course not,” Robert said, still not getting where the problem was. “So if she would have called you and asked, you wouldn’t have said yes? Even though you would have been pretty sure this is something I would have wanted? You would have said, no, I have to ask Robert first?”

“Of course I would have!” Aaron said.

“But the other day when she called and said she would have to push the appointment to another day, you said yes without asking me,” Robert started.

“Oh my God,” Aaron said and shook his head. “I have access to your calendar. I know when you’re free and when you’re not. This is different.”

“Really? Is it?” Robert shot back. “Why don’t you write me a list of what is okay and what’s not, so we can make sure I don’t mess up again. Because apparently that is what I do, right?”

“Oh, that would be a short list: Do not be an idiot and do ask your husband about stuff concerning your baby,” Aaron shot back.

“Stop it!” Liv bellowed, coming down the stairs. “Both of you!”

Robert looked at Liv and Aaron stopped pacing as she came to a stop in front of them.

“You are gonna be dads soon! Both of you! Real life dads, not pretend to be like you did with me, you are gonna be responsible for a little, tiny, human being and you are fighting over something you actually both want? It’s Christmas, pull yourselves together and be happy and together and think about how different next year will be! You can’t keep fighting about stupid stuff like this!”

Robert looked at her in surprise, then carefully at Aaron. Aaron looked at him and pulled at his sleeves. He shot him a half smile.

“I guess that is us told,” Aaron said. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have got so upset.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Robert said. “I should have asked you.”

“Now kiss and make up,” Liv said with a grin.

They all laughed at that and Aaron shook his head.

“What now, family? Order food and Love Actually on the TV?” he asked.

“Only if you two don’t fight about who is hotter again,” Liv said with a grin.

“I’m in, but just hold on a second,” Robert said and disappeared up the stairs.

He came back with two presents and Aaron smiled.

“Are we doing this again?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Robert said. “I mean, if you guys want, but I really wanted to give you these.”

“All right,” Aaron said.

Aaron and Liv went to get their gifts and they all sat down together.

Liv unwrapped her gift from Robert, a t-shirt that said “Keep Calm because I’m gonna be an aunt” and Aaron got the first ultrasound in a little frame as a key chain. They both loved it, even though Liv was saying that she was never gonna wear it.

Robert just grinned at that, because he knew she would.

When the two of them were cuddled up on the couch, with Liv on the armchair, Aaron turned a bit and whispered in Robert’s ear. “I can’t wait for the 3D one, see our little girl as real as possible.”

“I love you,” Robert whispered back and Aaron smiled at him.

 

**24 th December 2026**

Robert heard the key in the lock and walked from the kitchen towards the door to greet Aaron.

“Did you get everything?” he asked.

“Yeah, eggs and milk, but barely,” Aaron answered. “David said everybody seems to be needing milk last minute.”

“Thank you,” Robert said and took the bag from him before giving him a quick kiss.

“Eva is still asleep upstairs, I hope,” Robert said as he walked back to the kitchen. “Would you mind checking up on her while I finish this cake real quick?”

“Sure,” Aaron said as he kicked off his shoes. His jacket was tossed on the sofa and then he headed upstairs.

He came back down after five minutes.

“Still asleep and looking like an angel,” he said with a smile. “Do you need any help?”

“No, I’m good,” Robert said. “We got everything else ready to go for the Dingle invasion tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah,” Aaron said, stepping up to Robert from behind. “And even if not, you know they always come with food.”

He slipped his arms around Robert’s waist and docked his head on his shoulder.

“You’re distracting me, Mr Sugden,” Robert grinned.

“Are you complaining, Mr Dingle?” Aaron asked and kissed a spot on his neck.

“No, not at all,” Robert said. “Just let me get this in the oven.”

Aaron let go of him and Robert put the cake in the oven, adjusted the temperature and set the timer.

He turned around, leaned against the kitchen counter and pulled Aaron towards him by his belt.

“Now, where were we?” he asked with a smirk and their lips met in a soft kiss.

“Daddies! I’m awake!” Eva announced as she trotted down the stairs, one hand on the banister and the other one holding her favorite stuffed animal,  a monkey that Liv had given her.

Aaron pulled back from the kiss and said with a smile. “Hold that thought.”

“You bet I will,” Robert smirked back before he turned around to their daughter.

“How is that possible?” Robert asked with a smile. “Daddy just checked on you.”

“I tricked him,” Eva said proudly. “The trick is to close your eyes and don’t breathe too fast.”

“Well done you,” Robert said proudly. “What a great little actress you are.”

“Are you encouraging our daughter to lie to us?” Aaron asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No, of course not, she was just pranking you, weren’t you?” Robert said and went over to pick Eva up.

“Yes, I tricked him,” Eva said proudly.

“Very much your daughter,” Aaron said and couldn’t help but smile.

Robert just shrugged his shoulders and walked to the oven so Eva could look inside.

“See, I made some cake for tomorrow,” Robert said. “You looking forward to having the whole crazy family here?”

“Crazy family!” Eva giggled.

“Stop teaching her that,” Aaron said, but couldn’t help a grin. “You’re hungry, Eva? Want some fruits?”

“No,” she said and laid her head on Robert’s shoulder. “Can I have my before-present now?”

“Oh, the before-present,” Aaron said with a smile. “No, not yet. And do you know why not?”

Eva pouted and shook her head.

“Because we need the whole family here for that,” Robert said. “And who’s missing?”

“Livi!” Eva announced, proud that she figured it out.

“Exactly, we wait for your Aunt Liv before we do the before-presents,” Robert said and let her back down. “And now your dad is gonna make you some apples, because you need to eat something, okay?”

“Fine,” Eva said. “Robbo wants banana though.”

“Then it’ll be apple for you and banana for Robbo,” Aaron said with a grin and started to wash the apple.

An hour later Liv came and was greeted by a cheering Eva who ran into her legs to hug her.

“Daddy, Livi is here, we can do the before-present now!” Eva announced.

“She did not get this materialistic streak from me,” Aaron laughed.

“Watch it, you, or you’ll get no presents this year,” Robert teased and nudged Aaron.

Liv laughed, hugged them both hello and went upstairs to get settled before they all sat down in the living room together.

Robert handed out his gifts first and when he gave his to Liv, she grinned and said: “Dankeschön.”

“Every year,” Robert grinned.

“Every year,” Liv said.

“Every year!” Eva called out and jumped on Aaron’s lap.

“Every year,” Aaron said with a smile.


End file.
